Even though advances in computer aided design (CAD) modeling have facilitated designing parts as 3-D geometry pieces, 2-D geometry pieces may be commonly utilized for various aspects of CAD modeling. That is, often times, in order to generate a solid model, curves may be utilized to form basic shapes, from which, the solid model may be generated. Examples of 3-D geometry pieces may commonly include solid CAD models, hereon out referred as to solid models. Examples of 2-D geometry pieces may commonly include curves such as lines, splines, arcs, edge curves of solid models, etc. hereon out referred to as curves.
Often times, utilization of a curve may involve segmenting the curve, where the location of a segment may aid a user in a design. Because each segment may have two ends (i.e., a beginning and an end), control points may define the two ends of a segment.
For example, a pipe may be designed to have a number of varying cross-sections equally spaced along a path (i.e., its length), where the path may be a complex combination of curves such as, lines, arcs, splines, and so forth. Initially, the user may expend a great deal of effort to divide the path into a number of segments ensuring that the segments are equally spaced on the path (i.e., each control point is equally spaced along the curves). Each of the varying cross-sections may be attached to each of the equally spaced control points.
However, if the path is modified, e.g., one or more of the curves are lengthened, shortened, and so forth, the segments may no longer be equally spaced on the path (i.e., the control points may no longer be equally spaced). In order to maintain equally spaced segments on the modified path, the user may be required to re-segment the modified path by determining new locations for the control points to ensure that the segments are equally spaced on the modified path. Accordingly, modification of segmented curves can be labor intensive and time consuming.
Additionally, if the segments were associated with a solid model such as an edge (i.e., edge curves associated with the edge), modification of the solid model may affect the segments. For example, if a solid model is modified in such a manner that it affects an edge having an edge curve associated with it, the change in the edge may affect the edge curve. That is, the edge curve may be segmented into equal segments, and the modification of the solid model may affect the segments (i.e., the segments may no longer be equal).